Walking aid



J. C. BURKETT Jan. 1, 1952 WALKING AID 2 SHEETSS ET 1 Filed May 3, 1948INVENTOR. JAMES C. BUB/(E77 M 0425/ Jan, 1, 1952 J. c. BURKETT 2,5 0 3WALKING AID Filed May 2,, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET g i 7 III!!! II} 25a 30L MINVENTOR. JA/liES C. BUB/(E77 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 :UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE J ainesLC; itfiasfifgton, D. C.

Thepresent invention relates to new and useful improvements in aids toself-locomotion and more particularly to such improvements in walk ingaids, such as crutches or the like.

It has always been a problem for amputees, such as war wounded andothers who have suffered misfortunes necessitating the use of walkingaids, to conveniently gain immediate access to articles or accessoriesfrequently and repeated- 1y used and to carry such articles in readilyaccessible locations on the person. .In attempting to overcome these andother difficulties'consideration must be given to the lightness inweight of the walking aids in order to assure ease of manipulationthereof.

With the foregoing in mind, it is one of the principal objects of thepresent invention to provide a walking aid, such as a crutch or thelike, which is light in weight to facilitate manipulation thereof andwhich is constructed and arranged to afford convenient means for holdingvarious items in readily accessible places.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a walking aid inthe form of a crutch of the above type having holding means for variousitems located at readily accessible points and wherein maximum leveragewith minimum weight is at the same time accomplished during manipulationthereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a walking aid of theabove type having compartmented receptacle means readily accessible toeither arm of the user.

A still further object of'the invention is to provide a walking aid ofthe above type wherein the c'ompartmentation is so located that it willnot interfere with required ease of manipulation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compartmentedcrutch wherein the compartments open inwardly for ready access to theuser. a

The invention still further aims to provide a crutch formed of lightmaterial, suchas aluminum, which is at least partially of hollow tubularstockand which is easily fabricated.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious andwill be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals of referencedesignate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 isa side elevation of members;

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the crutch member of Figure 1;

one of the crutch 1 Claim. (01. 135-47) Figure 3 is a fragmentarylongitudinal section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2and showing the compartmentation of a part of the crutch member;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 4-4 of Figure 2 and showing a further compartment;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 ofFigure 1 and showing a holding clip; I

Figure 6'is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 ofFigure 3 and showing the coin holder;

' Figure 7 is a side elevation showing the other crutch member;

Figure 8 is a front end elevation of the crutch member of Figure '7;

, Figure 9 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure8 and showing the compartmentation arrangement;

Figure 10 is an enlarged section taken along the line l0l0 of Figure 8.and showing a flash light mounting;

I Figure 11 is an enlarged section taken along the line ll-ll of Figure'I'to show the adjustment of the foot portions;.and

Figure 12 is a reduced'fragmentary side elevation showing adjustment ofthe arm pit pad;

' Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, andparticularly to. Figures 1 and 2 illustrating the left-hand crutchmember l5, and to Figures 7 and 8 illustrating the right-hand crutchmember l5a, it will be seen that the two crutch members aresubstantially identical in external configuration .and in generalstructure which will nowjbe'briefly described, the more detailedstructural features and differences to be referred to" hereinafter. Eachof the crutch members I5, I511 generally includes an upper solid andcompartmented portion I6, 16a; an intermediate skeleton portion II, 17a;and a bottom depending extension l8,v 18a.

1, Each upper portion 16,160; is provided with a cushioning pad 19,1911carried by a cradle member 20, 29a, respectively. Each cradle member. isprovided with spaced depending pins 2|, Zia which extend intocorresponding openings or recesses 22, '22a, respectively, at the top ofthe crutch members, as particularly shown in Figures 3 and 9. ReferringtoFigure 12, screw or bolt elements 23 extendlaterallyinto the upperportion'of each crutch member in threaded engagement therewith; and intocorresponding openings 22 or 2201/50 as to: engage corresponding pins 2|01" 21a to maintain the cradle members in any predetermined position ofadjustment relative to the crutch, such adjustment depending upon thephysical characteristics of the user. It is to be noted that each of thecradle members is downwardly dished to impart a similar shaping to thecushioning pads, thus adding to the comfort of the user as the padsengage beneath the arm pits.

The intermediate portion 41, I 1a of each crutch member is in th form ofa yoke or v-shaped fork including spaced arms 24, 25 and 24a, 25a havingthe upper ends thereof merging into the edges of the upper portions andhaving the lower ends thereof merging together and into the dependingextensions. It is to be noted that the arms of the yoke portions aremade from hollow tubular stock, as are the depending extensions, tomaintain the weight of the crutch members at a minimum. It is to befurther noted that the arms of the yoke portions [7, Ila are joined byhollow hand grips 25f, Zlia disposedbelow the solid upper portions ofthe crutch members. 7 Each depending extension Hl, 18g. is provided witha transverse opening adjacent to the bottom end thereof forthe receptionof a screw or bolt element, 2?, Zia, Hollow depending struts or strutmembers 28, 28a telescope within the extensions it, its, respectively,and are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced and alignedthreaded radial openings 29, 25in through the wall th reof- AS more cearly sho n i i r 11, the screws or bolts Zl, 21d are adapted tothreadedly engage a preselected one or the openlugs 29, 29a, dependingupon. the length of the lower portion of each crutch as desiredby theparticular user. The strut members 28, 280. are each provided with aground contacting and pp pad r s e .0 3 .4 re ct v which may beformed ofrubber, plastic or other suitable material.

Considering now the more specific details embodied in the left-handcrutch 15, reference being bad to Figures 1 through 6 of theaccompanying drawings, the upper portion I6 is internally recessed toprovide a plurality of readily accessible compartments, thiscompartmentation also maintaining minimum weight characteristics. Thus,the upper solid portion, as particularly shown in Figures 3 and 6, isprovided with a lower recess or chamber 32 defined by the adjacent wallsof the upper portion and a horizontal web 33 from which a centralvertical web 34 extends to the top of the upper portion and, inconjunction with a short horizontal web 35, defines three additional andsmaller compartments 36, 31, 38. While these compartments may, ofcourse, be used for holding such articles as the user may desire, it issuggested, for example, that the compartment 32 may hold a thermosbottle or other container; the compart ment 38 for cigarettes or thelike; the compartment 31 for matches; and the compartment 38 for coins,and to this end, suitable coin holders 39 are mounted therein. A flint4!] or-thelike may be secured exteriorly of v the upper portion i6 andsuitable hinged closures 4| and 42 may be provided for the compartments.Thus, the upper closure 4| is adapted to close the compartments 36, 31,38, and the lower closure 42 is adapted to close the lower compartment32.

The hand grip 26 is, as previously indicated and as shown in Figure l,hollow throughout the length thereof to provide acompartment 43 and n en 4 i l e h re i h is o id a th leading edge of the arm 25 of the yokeportion l'l. Access to the compartment 43 through the opening 44 iscontrolled by a shutter 45 pivotally mounted on the arm 25 by a screwpivot 46. A false bottom in the nature of a plunger 41 snugly fits inthe compartment 43 and is urged toward the opening 44 by a coil spring48 seated in an internal recess 49 in the arm 24 so that upon opening ofthe shutter 45, the contents of the compartment, such as a knife,corkscrew, nail file, bottle opener or the like, will be urged outwardlyin position for the user to readily grasp the same.

Intermediate the extremities of the depending extension l8, there areprovided upper and lower spring clips 50 which are secured to theextension by screws 5! or the like (see Figure 5). These clips extendpartially around the extension and are adapted to grip and hold anewspaper or the like thereagainst.

Referring now in more detail to the right-hand crutch member 150., asshown in Figures 7 through l0, the upper portion Ifia thereof (seeFigure 9) is also recessed to provide a plurality of compartments 52,53, 54, the lower relatively large compartment 52 being separated fromthe upper compartment by a horizontal web 55, and the upper compartments53, 54 being separated from one another by a vertical web 56. The usersparticular needs and desires will determine the articles to be receivedin these compartments, but for ex ample, the compartment 52 mayconveniently hold magazines or a lunch box; the compartment 53 may befor cards or the like; and the compartment 54 for miscellaneous items.These compartments are also closed by suitably hinged closure members51, 58; the upper closure 5'! being for the compartments 53, 54 and thelower closure 58 for the lower compartment 52.

As shown in Figure 10, the hollow hand grip 25a provides an internalchamber for a dry cell battery 60, the rear end of which is engaged by aspring Bl seated in a recessed screw plug 62 threadedly mounted in anopening through the rear arm @511. of the yoke portion Ila. Thus, thebattery is urged toward the switch mechanism 63 which is controlled by abutton 84 on the hand grip readily accessible to the user. The front arm24a is apertured at the leading edge thereof to receive a reflector 65in which a bulb 6.6 is mounted. There is thus provided a flashlightunder immediate control of the user and so located as to cast a beamforwardly from the leading edge of the crutch member for guidance whendesired by merely shifting the button 64 to make or break the circuitfrom the battery to the bulb.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the -right-hand crutch member 15a isprovided with additional spring holding means in the form of a V-shapedmember having the bottom apex 68 thereof secured, as by riveting,welding or the like, to the outside of the depending extension {841, Theupwardly extending and diverging arms 63, 69;: have the upper endsthereof reversely curved and secured by rivets it or the like to thearms 24, 24a, respectively, of the intermediate yoke portion Ila.Thearms 69, 5911 are thus spaced out-v wardly from the adjacent surfaceof the crutch member and provide a convenient holder for a brief case orthe like.

The crutch members may be formed from any suitable material having therequired weight and strength characteristics, and the fabricationthereof may be accomplished in any suitable manner. Aluminum or thingauge stainless steel are examples of suitable materials; and asindicated, the intermediate yoke portions l7, Ila, the dependingextensions l 8, 18a, and the strut members 28, 28a are preferably ofhollow tubular form and the upper portions l6, lBu. may be stamped,molded or otherwise formed to provide the de scribed compartmentation.Assembly and fabrication of the parts may be accomplished as desired inthe manufacturing process.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the presentinvention provides efficient and useful walking aids illustrated in theform of crutch members which are suitably compartmented to convenientlyhold various articles. The upper portions [6, lfia are arranged with theclosures of each crutch member opening inwardly to facilitate employmentof the user's opposite hand in gaining access to the compartments. Thelocation of the solid compartmented upper portions above the hand grips26, 28a and between the arms and body of the user greatly facilitatesmanipulation of the crutch members without adding bulk or increased deadweight thereto.

While the invention has been described in connection with theillustrated embodiments of the invention, it is to be clearly understoodthat various changes in the details of construction and arrangement ofparts may be made Without departing from the scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A crutch comprising a ground engaging tubular extension merging at theupper end thereof in an intermediate skeleton portion includingtransversely spaced tubular frame portions and a tubular hand gripjoining said frame portions intermediate the ends thereof to leave openspaces on opposite sides of said hand grip, a top arm pit engagingcradle, an imperforate portion immediately below said cradle anddefining the upper limit of the open space abovesaid hand grip, saidimperforate portion being recessed to provide an article carryingcompartment between the hand grip and the cradle whereby the addedweight of articles in said compartment is confined tothe top of thecrutch above said hand grip to facilitate manipulation of the crutchthrough the hand grip, and closure means for the compartment in saidimperforate portion. JAMES C. BURKETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 367,224 Myers July 26, 1887869,128 Autenrieth Oct. 22, 1907 879,640 Hockeuberry Feb. 18, 1908921,023 Stern May 11, 1909 1,035,760 Walton Aug. 13, 1912 1,509 157Leano Sept. 23, 1924 1,653,024 Simek Dec. 20, 1927 2,116,730 Menton May10, 1938 2,151,293 Dross Mar. 21, 1939 2,311,049 Hedden Feb. 16, 19432,373,045 Osborn Apr. 3, 1945 2,383,786 Gish Aug. 28, 1945 2,388,778Wheeler Nov. 13, 1945 2,429,409 Eidman Oct. 21, 1947

